


Harmony

by phantisma



Category: Real Person Fiction
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-11-22
Updated: 2009-11-22
Packaged: 2017-12-04 03:32:30
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,703
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/706029
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/phantisma/pseuds/phantisma
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jensen Ackles is returning to Harmony, Texas after several years in the big city, looking to escape his mother's need to marry him off and the trappings of a society he's never been comfortable in.  The town he returns to hasn't changed much, except for a new face or two.  One of those is the young, handsome man helping out at the bar, and it turns out in other places.  Is it love at first sight?  Or will Jensen have to work at seducing the boy? And, who is this young man known to the folks of Harmony only as JT?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Harmony

Harmony, Texas.

Population: 300, if you include everything with a pulse for a hundred miles in any direction.

He wasn't sure why he would ever want to come back to such a godforsaken place.

The streets were made of dirt. The only power was fueled by generators. The only phones are at the bar and the post office/town hall/gas station. Horses line the street outside the dry goods store and bar, both of which were in the same wood buildings they started out in, 250 years before.

In fact, last he knew, there were a sum total of fifteen trucks or cars in the whole damn county and he was driving one of them.

Two hours off the nearest paved road, another two to the nearest interstate. It wasn't the town that time forgot, it was the town the thumbed its nose at time. No one that lived there seemed to want to come out of the past. And that included his grandfather.

Jensen slowed his truck a little more because he couldn't see for the dust. He had left years ago. Spent time getting a degree, traveling the world. But, his family was down to his mother in Dallas and his grandfather in Harmony and he was really done with his mother for the moment. 

He figured some time to disconnect would be good. Get away from the hustle, the money, the society that she was trying to marry him off into. He was tired of vapid heiresses who could barely count the money they spent.

He'd forgotten how small the town was. Besides the dry goods store and the bar that still called itself a saloon and doubled as a sort of restaurant, there was the post office building and the feed store, and the old church. He smirked a little, remembering some less than holy activity in that old building when he was a teenager.

He parked the truck outside the town and got out. The place smelled the same, like dust and heat. His boots scuffed through the dirt as the dust from his arrival settled and when he stepped up onto the wooden sidewalk it was like stepping back to his childhood.

They had lived in Dallas, coming out to Harmony in the summers to give Jensen and his brother a taste of their history. When his father and brother died, his mother had sent him here to his grandfather because she thought he needed a man in his life. 

He stopped at the door to the post office, knocking to wake up Bill Asher so he didn't scare him to death. Bill was still cursing when Jensen stepped inside. "Hey Mr. Asher."

"Jensen Ackles? Is that you boy?" He stood and shuffled out from behind the desk. 

"The one and only." Jensen shook his hand. "I'm just getting into town and figured I'd stop and see if Pop had any mail I could take out to him?"

Bill frowned at him and poked a finger at the mail sorter on the wall. "Man ain't been in to pick up his mail in a month."

"Some things never change." Jensen reached into the bin and pulled out the handful of letters, sorting through them to find the one he'd sent at least a month before to let his grandfather know he was coming.

"You tell him to get his ass into town. He owes me a beer."

"I'll tell him Mr. Asher. You take care." Jensen tucked the mail into his back pocket and started for his truck with a glance up to check the time. The sun was already moving toward the evening and he knew better than to try to find his way out to his grandfather's ranch after dark after having been away so long.

Movement caught his eye and he turned his head, smiling to himself as he spotted the reason. She raised a hand as he stepped off the sidewalk and crossed the street toward the bar. Her smile was warm as he stopped an arm's reach away. "You knew I was coming."

"Your momma called about an hour ago asking if you'd gotten here yet." She pushed off the door frame she'd been leaning on and held her arms open. "Get on over here and give me a hug, boy."

"Yes ma'am." Jensen stepped in, his arms circling around her as her arms came around his shoulders.

"You been gone too long," she said when she'd stepped away. "You want something to drink?"

"Just a coke. Still gotta drive out to Pop's." He pulled his cell phone out of his pocket, then shook his head. He hadn't had a signal since he'd left the main road. "Can I use the phone? Let Mom know I made it?"

"You know where it is." She slid behind the bar to pour him his drink and Jensen headed toward the back wall where the phone hung between the skull of a bull and a sign that read "Men's room out back" and an arrow pointing through the doorway there.

He dialed the number, jumping as a voice behind him said "Excuse me". He frowned as a tall, gangly man muscled past him with a crate of beer bottles.

His mother's voice filled his ear and Jensen pulled his attention back to the phone. "Sam said you called."

He rolled his eyes as she rambled on and on about him dying in some horrible accident and no one ever finding his bones. He let her ramble, watching the man loading beer into Sam's cooler under the bar. 

Sam caught him staring and smirked, holding up his drink. Jensen held up a hand and turned away. "Mom." He waited for her to stop. "I'm fine. I'm here. I still have to drive out to Pop's. I'll call you the next time I head in to town, okay?" He ignored her burst of promises to give him anything and everything to come back and marry whatever new woman she'd found for him. "Yeah, love you too Mom. Talk to you soon." 

He hung up while she was still talking and crossed back to the bar, easing onto a stool and taking a sip of his soda. "So…" Jensen's eyes followed the man out to the scattered tables, watching as he pulled a cloth out of his back pocket and started cleaning tables. "Who's the studly?"

Sam leaned over the bar, watching him too. "Name's JT."

"Yeah? Where'd he come from?"

She wiped at the bar, her eyes on his face. "Not sure, exactly. Told me he's from California, told Joe he's from Tulsa."

Jensen watched him bend over the table he was wiping down and felt certain parts of his body tighten up. "He got a last name?"

"I'm sure he does." Sam moved down the bar and checked the cooler. "Hey, JT, can I get you to do an ice run for me 'fore dark?"

He straightened up and smiled at her. "Yes ma'am. I'll do it now." She hefted up the big barrel she used to haul ice up from the cold room she shared with the dry goods place.

"He's working for you, but you don't know his last name?" Jensen asked when he'd disappeared out the front door. 

"He ain't exactly working for me. He helps out around here and I give him a room upstairs. He's a good kid." She came around the bar and poked him in the shoulder. "You hear me, Jensen Ackles?"

"Ow. I hear you fine. It's not like I want to throw him over the bar and rape him Sam."

She slapped him this time. "You best not hurt him is all. He's been hurt enough."

Jensen narrowed his eyes at her. "That sounds like you know what his story is."

"I know enough. I've seen someone that's been hurt before. That's all."

Jensen drank down his soda and stood. "You'll have to tell me all about it. But not now. I need to get out to the ranch while there's still daylight."

She pulled him in to hug him. "You tell that grandfather of yours to get his ass into town. He owes me a beer."

"Who doesn't he owe a beer?"

Jensen kissed her cheek and headed back to his truck. The sun was racing toward the horizon now and that left him little time for sight seeing. He pulled out and headed west, out the old dirt road that led to only two places, old lady Harvey's and his grandfather's ranch.

Not that there was much to go by out here. The road was little more than a rutted path through underbrush and the biggest building to be seen was the barn way back behind the house, which wasn't much more than an old hunting cabin and a mobile home that had come together over several add-ons through the years. Jensen pulled in off the road and parked.

The dogs came running to meet him as he got out of the truck, though they were moving slower these days. "Hey boys." Jensen squatted down to pet them, two golden labs and an old shepherd that was missing an eye.

Once they were satisfied, he reached in the back of the truck for his bag and headed up to the house. "Hey, old man!"

The door opened and his grandfather stepped out onto the porch with his shotgun. He squinted toward Jensen. "That you boy? What in hell you doing here?"

Jensen pulled the mail out of his pocket as he climbed the stairs. "You'd have known I was coming if you'd go pick up your mail once in a while."

He made a face and shook his head. "Ain't got no need for mail, and you know it."

"I sent you a letter. Told you I was coming." Jensen moved past him into the house, dumping the pile of envelopes onto the kitchen table. "Your generator out?" Jensen asked, gesturing at the oil lamps on the table. 

"Got no need for it. Oil lamps just fine."

Jensen shook his head. "You're out of gas again."

"Told you, no need for it. Stove works fine, got plenty of oil for the lamps and candles in the bedroom."

"I can go into town tomorrow for gas, and anything else you've been out of since the last time you went?" The place was tidy, but his grandfather had always been insistent about that. "What about you, you eating okay?"

"What am I, an invalid? Been taking care of myself since before you were born." He went to the wood stove and uncovered a pot that was bubbling away on one of the burners. "Stew. You hungry?"

Jensen nodded. "I could eat." 

"You know where stuff is. Help yourself. I gotta head up to the barn and check on Katydid."

"Something wrong?"

His grandfather looked annoyed. "That damn stallion that Harvey won't keep fenced in got at her and she's fat as a cow with foal. Gonna drop any day now. Eat. I'll be back in a bit."

Jensen watched him go and dished up a bowl of the stew. He had to wonder which of the hands he had to thank for the dinner. His grandfather's idea of cooking was a can of beans warmed in a fire.

He straddled the chair and tasted it, surprised to find it quite tasty.

He was only a few bites in when he heard running footsteps, and the door flew open and a redheaded blur flew at him. "Jensen!"

He barely got to standing before she was wrapping her arms around him, squealing into his chest with excitement.

"Laney?" Jensen finally managed to ask, pushing her back far enough to actually see her. "Wow." Gone was the gangly fourteen year old she had been when he left, with her pigtails and freckles and overalls. Okay, so the overalls were the same, but she'd become a woman while he was gone, with all the requisite curves and her hair was long and loose and shiny. "You…"

"Pop said you were here and I came running. And here you are."

"Slow down, Laney, you're going to hurt something." Jensen said with a grin before hugging her again. "I missed you."

"It has been so boring without you!"

Jensen sat back down and resumed eating. 

"I got your letters though. Did you really date a princess?"

Jensen just about choked. "No, she was…not a princess. She was…a countess. And she was no where near as pretty as you."

She blushed and shook her head. "You're just saying that."

He put his spoon down and grabbed her hand. "No, Laney. I would never tell you that if I didn't believe it. Women like that? They have things and they smell like flowers and they wear ridiculous clothes…but underneath it all, not a one of them can hold a candle to a real woman like you."

"You're still a sweet talker, ain't you."

"Yeah, my mother would disagree." Jensen said. "So what are you still doing here? Why aren't you off seeing the world?"

Her smile faded and she sort of shrugged. "Well…Dad…he's not doing so good, and he needs help. So I kinda took over the taking care of the horses most of the time. Pop says I can stay on. Says I do as good a job as Dad ever did."

"Well, you learned from the best." Jensen squeezed her hand. "I'm sorry about your dad. I heard about the accident. I thought he was okay."

She rolled her eyes. "He was, until he tried to chase old lady Harvey's stallion off of Katydid. Got kicked in the head. Ain't been right since. Doc says he probably won't get any better than he is right now."

"Oh, Laney, I'm so sorry."

She shook her head and pulled her hand back. "Don't be. I like it here, and Pop's good to me."

"At least he's good to someone." Jensen muttered.

"Heard that, Boy."

Jensen looked up as his grandfather came back into the kitchen. "Got another day at least. Best get on back up to the barn, Laney, your Daddy was wandering about."

She kissed Jensen's cheek, then ran back out the door, leaving Jensen alone with the old man.

He slid into the seat opposite Jensen's. "How's your mother?"

"Upset with me for coming back here." Jensen answered, poking at his cooling stew.

"She still trying to fix you up with every damn thing in a skirt?"

"Not everyone, just the ones with money." Jensen smirked. Nothing irked his grandfather more than his daughter-in-law's obsession with the high society that she lived in. 

"Damn fool woman, can't see the truth of what's in her face." He yanked off his hat and scratched at his balding head. "You're better off away from those crazy people boy. We'll put you to work, burn off that city fat she's put on ya."

Jensen frowned at his father. "What can't she see, Pop?"

He poked one boney finger at Jensen. "The truth of it. You. Never could. Looks at you and sees your daddy." His hand slapped down onto the table. "I'll go make up your room.

Before Jensen could stop him, he was gone, heading off to the bedrooms. Jensen finished off his stew, wondering what the old man was rambling at, but he figured he had time to sort it all out. He'd been gone a long time and there was a lot to see and do.

 

"One, two, three…" Jensen hefted the drum with the help of one of the ranch hands, pushing it into the bed of his truck. 

"Hope Jimmy got the tanks filled."

Jensen chuckled. "He still missing deliveries because he's out fishing?"

Mitch laughed. "You know, for a bright boy, that kid is damn forgetful."

"Always was." Jensen pulled off his hat and wiped the sweat from his face. "We need anything else?"

"Laney's getting you a list of things she needs for the horses and the kitchen. You got the order for the guys out on the range?"

Jensen nodded. "I'll give it to Jake at the store. I'm betting he'll have to order some of it."

"Always does." 

Laney came bounding down the front steps with a piece of paper in her hand. "Here you go. See if you can get Jake to actually order the batteries this time? I had to drive all the way into Clarendon the last time because we were out and the radios were dead."

Jensen took her list and tucked it into his pocket. At least Mitch had said they'd only been out of gas a few days this time. "I'll be all day at this rate." 

"You should maybe swing by Kane's place, pay your respects." 

Jensen turned to his grandfather who had come out of nowhere. "Chris back?"

Pop nodded. "Been there since the end of last month."

"Yeah, okay. I'll stop out there first." He shoved his work gloves into his back pocket and climbed into the truck. Sam had called to tell him when they'd heard. Of course, Jensen had tried to see his friend before the army sent him back home, but he wasn't family and he never did get a straight answer about what happened.

Chris had been his best friend in the years he'd lived with his Pop. They'd raised more than a little hell together. Chris had kind of fallen apart when his daddy died, spent about a year lost inside a bottle. When he crawled out, he decided he needed to get out of Harmony and Jensen had been the one to drive him into Dallas to join up. Chris had said it was something his father could be proud of, and Jensen couldn't argue.

The Kane ranch was north of town, further out than the Ackles' place, but clearly some work had been done to make it easier to get to. The road had been evened out and graveled. The house looked better than he could remember seeing it, a fresh coat of paint made it stand out from the surroundings and the porch seemed to have been completely rebuilt. Looked like solar panels had been installed on the roof, and out on the barn too.

His eyes didn't miss the ramp that led up onto the porch on the side, or the concrete pathways out to the barn. He stopped the truck and climbed out, scanning for signs that someone was about. He got almost to the top of the porch stairs before the door opened and he smiled. "Mama Kane."

"Rumor had it you were back in town." She gestured him in, grabbing a hug as he passed. "Sit down, I'll get you some coffee."

He knew better than to argue and he sat at the small kitchen table, even though he'd rather be looking for Chris. "He's out with Steven." She put a cup of coffee down in front of him. "Said he wasn't ready to see you."

Jensen nodded slowly. That stung, considering everything they'd been through, but Jensen wasn't the one who'd come back from Afghanistan paralyzed. "Who…who's Steven?"

She patted his hand. "Christian's gonna walk again, you know that right?"

He covered her hand with his. "I'm no doctor, Mama. I heard he's all tore up in his back."

She nodded and sniffled. "He cries at night. Thinks I can't hear him, but I don't sleep much no more."

Jensen really didn't know what to say to that. He couldn't imagine Chris crying any more than he could imagine him stuck in a wheelchair for the rest of his life. He sipped at his coffee, because he knew she wouldn't let him go until it was gone. 

"Steven." She said it suddenly, as if remembering he had asked. "He's Christian's friend. He's a nurse or aide or something. He helps him with…things I can't do for him."

Jensen finished off his coffee. "I hope Chris knows that I really want to see him. I've missed him. Could you tell him I came by? I'll be in town most of the day…buy him a beer if he's feeling up to it."

He stood and hugged her again. "I'll tell him, but he ain't been into town since he come home. Doesn't want folks to see him in the chair."

Chris was like that, always had been. Too proud to ask for help. "You tell him that won't keep me away long, okay?"

She smiled and walked him to the door. "You're a good boy, Jensen. No matter what old Lady Harvey says about you."

Jensen left her on the porch and turned the truck back the way he'd come. He couldn't begrudge Chris the adjustment period. He was a strong, able bodied man who suddenly found himself confined to a chair…and if the story Sam told him was true, Chris was carrying around a hell of a lot of guilt as the only man in his patrol to make it home.

Not to mention, Harmony wasn't the easiest place in the world to live in a wheelchair. 

No, Jensen couldn't blame him for hiding out. But he wouldn't be a friend if he let it continue either. It was looking more and more like he'd come back to Harmony just in time.

His first stop was the dry goods place and before he was even out of the truck, the two old geezers that spent their day sitting on the front step were calling out hellos. "Hey Joe, Pete."

"I guess I owe Jake a beer." Joe said, spitting into the dirt as Jensen stepped up on the porch. 

"You taking bets on me, Joe?" Jensen asked.

"You know Joe, Jensen, he'll take bets on anything." Pete answered, spitting himself. "He bet Jake we wouldn't see you for a few days because you'd be too busy proving to the old man you haven't lost your common sense."

Jensen chuckled. "I'm sure that'll start tomorrow. I caught him a little off guard last night when I got in. By the time I get home he should be ready to run me ragged." His eyes darted down the walk to the saloon where JT was sweeping the porch. "So what's his story?"

Pete leaned toward Jensen like JT might hear them if he didn't. "We think he's a fugitive, hiding out here."

"Speak for yourself, dumbass." Joe said, hitting him in the shoulder. "He's hiding all right, but he's harmless. I'm betting he saw something he shouldn't." 

Jensen rolled his eyes. He should know better than to ask the town busy bodies. 

"Becky James has taken a real shine to him." Pete said.

"Too bad he don't shine back." Joe laughed. "Not at Becky James anyway. Seems to light up when that Steve fella shows up though."

This time Pete hit Joe's shoulder. "What have I told you? Just cause you're an old fag don't mean every pretty man who shows his face around here is too."

"Who you calling old?"

Jensen left them bickering and went into the store, pulling the various lists out of his pockets. "Hey Jake?"

"Hang on, I'm in the back."

Jensen dropped his lists on the counter and wandered down the aisles. Not much changed in a town like this. Jake still carried penny candies, even though there were no kids in town anymore. The youngest had to be Becky James, who was probably eighteen.

It was a wonder the small town was even still in existence, honestly. The birth rate was next to nonexistent, and JT was probably the first new person in town since Jensen…and Jensen didn't count really because he had family there.

Most of the people who lived in Harmony were from families that had been there since before electricity. It was an odd little town that started because an odd little couple weren't welcome much of anywhere and wanted someplace where they didn't have to worry about getting killed for sharing a fondness for one another.

Over that first hundred years, the place drew other outcasts and strangers, grew a church, a bar and the rest. It wasn't your typical western town. There was an unspoken policy that folk was just folk and whatever secrets you had were your own. Didn't mean folks wouldn't ask, just meant folks would take whatever you offered as the truth and not pry.

Which is how JT got away with not really telling anyone what had brought him to such a forsaken place. It was how Jensen planned to just go back to his life. There were no pretensions here, and no one was going to tell you how to live your life, unless they shared blood.

That even extended to folks like Pete and Joe. Joe's family went all the way back to the early days of Harmony, and he was the last of them. Like Chris, Joe went away and joined the army and when he came back, he brought Pete with him. They'd been together ever since.

No one really talked about it, even when they called each other names like Pete had out front. Jensen had pondered about it once with Chris over beers at Sam's before they were anywhere close to legal. Sam had told him it just wasn't polite to ask a person about the private things, whether the privates in question were innies or outies.

"I heard you were back." Jake said as he came out of the back room, brushing white powder out of his red hair. Jensen had never quite figured out where Jake fell out of the family tree, but it was widely suspected that he and Laney shared more than a love of wild horses.

"Good news travels."

"Hell, round these parts any news travels, you know that. That your grandad's list?"

"Yeah, Laney says to order the damn batteries or she'll make you drive out to Clarendon and get them for her."

"Once. I forget something once and that girl will never let me live it down." He lifted the other list. "I can get you most of Laney's stuff…but I outfitted Morgan's crew yesterday, so I'll have to order the rest of this. When you need it?"

"I got time. Get me what you can by this afternoon, and let me know when to expect the order."

"Can do. You sticking around?"

Jensen shrugged. "For a while. Pop looks like he could use the help. I don't have much use for the city."

"Well, good. You drag that old man out here tomorrow. I got a poker game with his name on the empty chair."

"We'll see. He's pretty crotchety." Jensen turned toward the door and started. JT was standing there, not five feet away. "Shit, you scared me."

He shifted nervously, glancing up at Jake, then back at Jensen. "Sorry. I didn't want to interrupt." He had a quiet voice, soft with just the tiniest trace of an accent. So tiny Jensen couldn't place it. He looked away and seemed to want to shrink into the ground…which would be hard considering he dwarfed Jensen by at least four inches.

Jensen stuck out his hands. "We haven't really met. I'm Jensen." JT turned to look at him, his eyes widening. "Ackles. Jensen Ackles."

JT took his hand and shook it twice before letting go. "I’m…um…JT. I…sorta work for Ms. Ferris."

"Yeah she told me." Jensen looked up at Jake, then nodded. "Well, I should get on over see if Jimmy can fill up our gas tank. Pop let the whole damn generator run dry again."

"You know…" JT's voice stops him and Jensen turns to look at him, even if JT doesn't quite look back. "I…um…I helped S-steve install some solar panels and stuff out at the Kane place a while back. Converted their whole system. I mean…"

Jensen felt himself grinning. "Yeah, you did that?"

"Well…it's…um…I'm good with my hands." His eyes flashed up at Jensen's really fast before disappearing behind a blush and a fall of long hair in his eyes.

"I tell you what, let me buy you lunch and you can tell me about it. I gotta fill up the tank, but I'll meet you at Sam's in what…ten, fifteen minutes?"

"Okay." He blushed a little more and turned away.

Jensen smiled to himself as he headed out to the truck. It wasn't going to take him that long to drop the truck and the tank in it's bed off with Jimmy, but he got the impression that he had to take things slow with this kid.

He started the truck and headed for the gas station.

Jimmy pulled himself out from under a broken down old Chevy that Jensen had never seen run. "You looking for a fill?"

"If you got enough." Jensen replied.

Jimmy nodded and wiped his greasy face with a greasier rag. "Yeah, take a while, the pump is slow."

"I remember." Jensen said. "I'm headed over to Sam's for some lunch. Pick it up after."

"Take yer time." 

Jimmy crossed to the pump and climbed into the bed of the truck. Jensen walked away as he got the tank opened up and the hose stuck in the hole. Sam looked up with a smile as he came into the saloon.

"Didn't expect we'd see you so soon."

"You know Pop." Jensen said, leaning on the bar. "No gas, half out of food. As long as he's got coffee, he don't see any need for running into town." Jensen chuckled. "You'd think it was like driving into Dallas or something."

"You hungry? We got fresh made potato salad and steaks."

"Yeah, I'm stealing your bar boy for a bit, so make it two."

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Hey, he started it. Wants to talk to me about putting in solar panels up at Pop's."

"I'm watching you, Jensen Ackles." She poked his shoulder and headed back toward the kitchen. 

Jensen turned to look around him. Nothing ever changed. Maybe that was what he loved about the place. He went to sit at one of the tables, looking up with a grin when JT came in.

JT blushed and shook his hair out of his eyes before he headed toward the kitchen with his box of goods from the store. A few minutes later, he came out, wiping his hands nervously on his jeans. "Um…Ms. Ferris says it'll be a few minutes."

Jensen nodded. "Yeah, I figured. Come sit down."

JT stopped just shy of the table. "You…Beer?"

"Okay." Jensen watched him scurry back to the bar and behind it, pulling two bottles out of the cooler before he came back. He opened them and then sat, pushing hair out of his eyes.

Jensen tried to be good, but he couldn't help leading with the innuendo. "So…you're good with your hands?"

JT blushed a spectacular shade of crimson and tried to hide behind his beer. "I um…used to…help build things."

"Things?" Jensen played with his beer bottle, trying to watch JT without making it obvious. The kid was young, younger than he had at first assumed, maybe twenty-one at the outside. 

JT glanced at him. "You know…um, houses and stuff. Built a bridge once in a park…over this little creek."

Jensen filed the information away and sipped at his beer. "I'm amazed you convinced Christian to go for the solar power."

JT shrugged. "S-Steve did most of the talking. I just suggested it one day. Saves all that gas, and the running into town to get it. Mr. Kane doesn't like to come into town."

"You go to school for that? The solar stuff I mean?" Jensen asked.

JT shook his head. "Nah, learned it from Adam—from this guy I worked with. Isn't hard." He brushed hair from his eyes, looking up with a smile as Sam came in with two plates. "Thank you, ma'am."

"You two boys eat up, now."

Sam withdrew and for a minute JT didn't eat, just watched Sam go back about her business. Jensen picked up his fork and knife and started cutting into his steak. "Sam always manages to cook it just perfect." He said around a mouthful of steak.

They ate quietly for a few minutes, then Jensen figured he needed to get them talking again. "So, what kind of investment are we talking about?"

JT squirmed. "Depends on what you want to do with it. Couple thousand at least. The Kane place…well, we put in panels on the house and the barn and another couple in the field. It's enough juice to power the house completely, even with the extra equipment for Mr. Kane's needs. Most folks round here only need a handful of panels."

Jensen nodded, his head skipping over the square footage of the house, the barn. "What about if I wanted to run power out to the cattle sheds? Lights, heaters…so we don't have to run the extra generator out there during calfing season?"

"Yeah, that's the great thing about solar, if you got a clear shot to the sky, you can run it anywhere." He picked at his potato salad. "I could come out and t-take a look if you want. I…um…work up some numbers for you."

Jensen grinned and nodded. "I'd like that. The old man will think it's a bunch of hooey, but I'll deal with him."

"You…" He stopped, frowning at his plate as he cut his steak. 

"Me? What about me?"

"You seem like you belong here." JT frowned harder. "I've never seen you before yesterday."

"Well, you seem to fit in damn good too, and I haven't seen you before yesterday either." Jensen finished his beer. "I've been away. Spent time here as a kid, ran hell all over with Chris and a couple of others for a while. Then I had to go out and see the world." He leaned across the table and lowered his voice like his next words were a secret. "Found out the world is filled with trouble, heart ache and stupid people. Figured Harmony was as good a place as any to settle down."

He sat back, watching JT think through his words. "Besides, my Pops isn't getting any younger. One of these days, he's going to realize he can't do it all, and a man should have family around him for that."

JT nodded, but seemed distracted. Jensen waited for him to volunteer to reciprocate the information, and when he didn't, he prodded. "So…what's your story? What brings you to the middle of nowhere?"

JT chewed and swallowed, his eyes skipping around the room before coming back to Jensen. "Honestly? I was just driving…trying to clear my head…I took a wrong turn, and ended up on some back road. My car broke down…and I didn't know what to do. I had no phone, no way to get the car going. I sat on the hood of my car and thought about it. Watched the sun go down, listened to the sounds of a world I had never seen." His voice faded and he had a faraway look in his eyes before blinking, glancing at Jensen. "Come morning, I took the water I had in the trunk, shoved it into my backpack and headed out on foot. Somewhere around noon, I found Harmony."

He nodded to himself, like he was proud of the story.

"When was this?" Jensen asked.

JT's face scrunched together as he thought about it. "Almost two years ago." He chuckled to himself. "Never did find the car again." He waved a hand toward the south. "It's out there somewhere."

"You're lucky you found anything at all. That's a big open prairie out there."

JT looked up at him, green eyes sparkling. "I like to think I was meant to be here."

Jensen found himself smiling at him. He wanted to know more. He wanted to know where the kid came from, and why he'd needed to drive hours into nowhere to clear his head. He wanted to know what made him bite his lip the way he was and look away. Jensen cleared his throat and pushed his chair back. "I probably should be getting back. How about you come on by Pop's place tomorrow round noon? I'll show you around."

JT smiled a quick grin and stood. "I can do that."

"Good." Jensen held out his hand and after only a slight hesitation, JT took it, shaking it before reaching for their plates and heading back to the kitchen. Jensen went to drop a twenty on the bar, and Sam caught his hand.

"He hasn't said that much in the two years he's been here, let alone all at once." Sam said, craning her neck to try to see him in the kitchen.

"What can I say, I'm good with people." Jensen said with a grin. "Thanks for lunch." All he had to do now was convince his grandfather to let JT do the work.

 

"Come on, Pop. It isn't like I'm asking you to install a computer or a satellite dish or anything." Jensen argued as he followed his grandfather out toward the barn. "You need more reliable power."

"For what?"

"For heat, for lights. For living like a normal human being." Jensen stopped and grabbed his shoulder. "For hot water that you don't have to spend three hours heating on the damn stove. I'll fix the shower and that big old tub of Mama's, install a hot water heater. Think how good that back would feel after a day of working on the fence when you can just fill the tub and sit in it."

Pop squinted at him, then gestured with his chin over Jensen's shoulder. Jensen turned to find JT coming up the road. "You trust this kid?"

"I hardly know him." Jensen replied. "But Chris had him working at his place."

"You _like_ this kid?" His tone made Jensen turn to look at JT.

"Yeah, Pop. I like him."

"So this is more about having him around so you can like him than about shoving new fangled crap up my ass?"

Jensen sighed. "If that's what it takes for you to say yes, than sure."

"Gonna break poor Becky's heart." Pop said. "She sure has taken a shine to that boy."

"I'm sure Becky will be just fine." Jensen said dryly. "It isn't like I'm knocking him over the head and riding off with him, Pop."

"Heh, I wanna see your mother's face when you show up at Thanksgiving with him instead of some damn princess."

"You know what? You're as bad as she is. Don't you have work to do?" Jensen stalked away from him and headed for JT who was making notes as he looked at the house. "Hey." Jensen said as he got close enough.

JT offered him a shy smile and jotted down a few more notes. "Your house is set well for solar, with the long side showing to the east-west."

"Did you walk all the way out here?" Jensen asked, suddenly distracted by the sweat stains on his chest and back.

He shrugged. "Told you, never did find my car."

"Come on, let me get you something to drink." He led JT inside. "I'm afraid it won't be cold, since the damn generator only just started working again about an hour ago, but…" He leaned in to the ancient ice box and pulled out a gallon jug of tea. He poured out two glasses and handed one to JT. "Sit…no rush." He sipped his tea and then realized that maybe JT had other plans on the day. "You know…unless you have somewhere to be…"

"No…no…I'm all yours." JT blushed, then smiled at him.

It was all teeth, shy and open and brilliant and Jensen's knees shook a little as he sat down. They were both silent for a minute, then Jensen climbed out of his tunnel vision. "So, what do you think so far?"

"Well, you get good sun, so that's one step down. I'm thinking probably five panels on the east side and five on the west. You'd be able to store up whatever you don't use. I'm guessing you don't have a lot of appliances?"

Jensen snorted. "That ice-box of Pop's? It's an actual ice box. Where you put a chunk of ice in it to keep stuff cold. The stove is wood burning. Radio runs on batteries." He took a drink from his tea. "But, if we can get consistent power up here, I'll bring in new appliances, at least for the kitchen. Promised Pop a hot water heater too."

JT nodded. "Yeah, totally doable. We should be able to get you enough power to modernize as much as you want."

"Or as much as the old man will let me." He put his glass down. "Well, we could saddle up a couple of horses, and I could show you the rest of the operation."

"I…uh…" JT rubbed his hands on his thighs. "I don't really…ride. H-horses I mean. I ride…um…other things." His face was beat red and he hid his face with his hands. "I…should shut up."

Jensen chuckled and pulled his hand away from his face. "No, don't ever." Jensen said, blushing himself as he realized just how much he sounded like a fucking romance novel. "I mean…it's adorable." He rolled his eyes and let go of JT's hand. "Now I'm going to shut up."

They stood there awkwardly for a minute before Jensen cleared his throat. "So, um…you don't ride? How do you live in Harmony for two years and not ride horses?"

JT was still pretty red as they turned for the door. "I walk."

"I think it's time you learn how to ride a horse, and I think now's as good a time as any."

JT smiled at him again, that brilliant, toothy grin and Jensen might have forgotten how to breathe for a minute. "You going to teach me?"

Jensen nodded slowly. "Yeah, JT. I'll teach you everything I know."

For a minute they stood close, framed by the door and Jensen almost kissed him. Then he heard Laney yelling about Katydid getting reading to foal and the moment was broken.

"Ever see a horse give birth?" Jensen asked as he pushed through the door.

"Um…no?"

"Come on." Jensen tugged on his elbow. "It's probably the grossest, most beautiful thing in the world. And this is Katy, so prepare to see grown men cry."

JT followed Jensen up to the barn and as he expected, his grandfather was in the stall with Laney and Katydid and all around them were several of the ranch hands, all of them pacing. "You'd think grown men had never seen an animal give birth." Pop muttered. 

"Katy's special." Jensen said softly to JT. "We found her out in the fields. We figure her mother was wild, she died giving birth. Katy was only a few hours old when Pop found her while he was out riding. We all had a hand in raising her." He gestured at the milling group of men. "Hand feedings at all hours, trying to teach her all the things her mother might."

"Get on in here, boy." Pop called and Jensen eased in through the open door of the stall, beckoning JT with him. "She needs gentle hands calming her. Yours are softer than mine."

Laney squatted near Katy's stomach, listening to whatever was going on inside while Pop sat in the hay with Katy's head in his lap. Jensen and JT moved to kneel beside her and Jensen reached out a hand to touch her back. "Easy girl, it's going to be okay."

Her ears twitched and her eye rolled to see Jensen. "That's my good girl." Jensen reached for JT's hand and pressed it to her quivering skin. "Just lightly, like this." He drew JT's hand in a slow, gentle stroke down her back. "Nice and easy."

"Okay, guys, I think this is it." Laney said as Katy tensed. "Oh, yeah, here it comes."

JT's hand stopped moving under Jensen's as Katy lifted her leg and they could see something starting to protrude from her body. Laney moved back to give her room and under their hands, her stomach contracted.

Jensen spared a glance at JT who was wide eyed and open mouthed as more of the foal emerged. Laney broke open the sack and a dark head emerged. "Just a little more…" Laney murmured.

The foal struggled a little and Katy's stomach contracted again and the rest of the baby came sliding out of her. Laney helped free the baby from the sack, even as Katy was moving toward them, nosing over the baby.

"Oh my god." JT murmured.

Jensen looked down and realized he was still holding JT's hand even though Katy was no longer under them. He squeezed lightly and moved to stand up, letting go of JT's hand. "That was amazing." JT said.

"Told you." Jensen answered. "We should get out of the way." He circled around Katydid who was working on standing up and ducked back into the barn. 

Mitch cleared his throat and squared his shoulders. "All right, you lot. Show's over, get back to work."

"You okay?" Jensen asked as they emerged out into the sunlight again.

"I…um…yeah…that was…incredible." He laughed and pulled a hand through his unruly hair. "I've never seen anything like that."

Jensen grinned too, the look on JT's face made him happy. "You still up for that riding lesson?"

JT bit his lip, a habit Jensen found insanely adorable. It made him want to kiss away the teeth marks. He cleared his throat and gestured at the corral. "I can get one of the guys to saddle up Desi over there." 

He turned to look at the big black horse. "Don't you have anything smaller?"

Jensen chuckled. "Have you seen yourself? Anything smaller than Desi would be too small for you. Besides, he's gentle. Come on over, I'll introduce you." As they neared the fence, Desi trotted over, instantly nuzzling Jensen's chest. "JT, meet Desi. Desi, this is JT. We're going to teach him the ropes."

Desi lifted his head and shook it, then nuzzled into JT's chest too. "He likes you." Jensen waved at one of the hands who came jogging over. "Saddle Desi up for me?"

"Yeah, sure. Come on Desi." Desi followed him toward the barn.

Beside him JT looked nervous and Jensen brushed a hand over his arm. "You know…if you don't want to…"

JT shook his head, his eyes still following Desi. His jaw was tight, his forehead crinkled. "No. I…want to. I think." He swallowed hard and blinked, looking back to Jensen finally. "He…I…oh boy."

Jensen chuckled. "Breathe, Big Boy. Breathe." He stepped in closer, rubbing a hand over his back. JT lifted a hand and touched Jensen's shoulder. "I…uh…" Jensen shook his head. He shouldn't. Not out here like this. Still, he stepped in closer, into JT's personal space. JT blinked, licked his lips. Jensen swallowed. 

He wasn't sure which one of them moved, but their lips brushed and Jensen was the one not breathing. He was suddenly very aware of their surroundings, of eyes that might see them, of the tension in JT's body. He forced himself to step back. 

Before either of them could talk, Desi was back, all saddled and ready. Jensen thanked the man and took the horse's lead, petting over his head. "Okay, um. So, for starters, get to know your horse a little. Pet his neck, talk to him. Right Desi?"

"T-talk to him?" JT lifted his hand to Desi's neck hesitantly.

"Yeah, you know…let him hear your voice."

"Um…okay." JT patted Desi's neck, frowning nervously. "I've never done this before, so don't hurt me, okay?"

Jensen snickered and scratched between the horse's eyes. "Approach on the left." He moved to the side and looked up to make sure JT was watching. "Grab the saddle horn, put your left foot in the stirrup." Jensen did just that. "And mount up. It's kind of part shifting your weight onto the foot in the stirrup, part jumping up, and part pulling yourself up." Jensen mounted Desi. "Then just get your right foot in the stirrup…and you're ready to ride."

Jensen dismounted and stepped out of the way. JT approached Desi's side cautiously. "You make it look easy." JT muttered.

"It is easy. Just like I showed you."

JT put his hand on the saddle horn and lifted his left foot into the stirrup. He looked at Jensen and then back at the horse. "Here goes nothing."

His first attempt almost landed him on his ass. He huffed and pulled his foot down, but didn't look at Jensen. "Okay." He put his foot up again. With a deep breath, he heaved himself upward, wobbling a little as his leg straightened, but he got his right leg over and settled into the saddle.

"See, easy. Good." Jensen moved around the other side to check his foot. "Okay, hold on a sec. Let me lengthen this." He worked on the stirrup, dropping it another few inches, then helping JT put his foot in. "You have got to have the longest legs I've ever seen." Jensen said as he moved to the other side to lengthen that one too. 

He stepped back and looked up. "There. How's that feel?"

"Like I'm going to fall off." JT answered, his face pale and tight.

"You're not going to fall off. Here…" He moved close again and touched JT's knee. "Press in with your knees. It stabilizes you and lets the horse know you're in charge, not just along for the ride."

"I don't feel like I'm in charge." JT muttered, though he did press in.

"Good. Just like that. Now, hold on."

"Wait—" 

Jensen tugged on the lead and Desi started walking. JT wobbled a little in the saddle, but held on. Jensen walked them down the side of the corral and out to the road, then turned them around and headed back up. He stopped them roughly where they'd started. "See, not so hard."

JT nodded. He seemed a little more at ease. "One more time?"

"Okay." Jensen turned them around and walked back down, leading Desi in a nice, slow walking pace. 

When he stopped them a second time, JT seemed to be a lot more comfortable. "Good. You ready to hold the reins?"

"I don't know…am I?" 

Jensen grinned and handed the leather up to him. "Okay, now Desi's neck trained, you could guide him with just your hands if you had to, a touch on the left side, he'll lead right. A touch on the right side, he'll lead left." Jensen adjusted the reins in JT's hands, closing his hand over the leather. "So if the rein on the left touches his neck, he'll turn to the right. Got it?"

"I think so?" JT inhaled sharply as Jensen let go of his hand.

"Good. Now, touch your heels to his sides. That's his cue to start walking."

"Um…okay…" JT hesitantly moved his feet and he grinned nervously as Desi started moving. 

"Good." Jensen walked alongside. "Okay, now touch his left side with the reins."

His hand was a little jerky as it moved, but Desi took the cue, turning right. "Good, go around the truck." JT got Desi turned again, and started back up toward the barn. "Very good. And to stop, pull back just a little."

Desi stopped and shook his head. Jensen reached for his head, rubbing his nose affectionately. JT was grinning broadly. "See, not so hard at all."

"Wow." JT handed him the reins when Jensen reached for them. "How…how do I get down?"

"Just like you got up, but in reverse." Jensen said. "Shift your weight to your left and stand on that stirrup, bring your right leg over and drop."

JT managed not to fall, though for a minute he looked like he might and he was laughing when he finally got his foot out of the stirrup. "Well, this is not how I expected my day to go."

"No?" Jensen led Desi back toward the fence. He tied the horse up and turned to JT. "You hungry? Laney's got chili on the stove inside."

"I could eat." 

Jensen grinned. "Come on inside. I'll feed you, then drive you back to town. You're going to find yourself incredibly sore in incredibly strange places."

"Really? Just from that little bit?" JT asked, following Jensen inside.

"You'll be surprised." Jensen said. He felt a hand on his back and stopped. 

"Wouldn't be the first time today." JT said softly. He was close, behind Jensen. "Unless…unless I'm wrong?"

"Wrong?" Jensen turned and they were chest to chest, closer than they'd been before. He opened his mouth to say something, and JT kissed him. It was awkward and Jensen got the impression that JT was as surprised by it as he was. Jensen licked his lips as the kisses ended.

JT looked down at him, eyes open and vulnerable. Jensen nodded. "Not wrong." He cupped JT's face, tilting his head a little and moving in for another kiss, guiding it a little so that it was softer, less awkward. He let his tongue touch JT's lips and his mouth fell open instantly. 

JT's hands lifted to his face, trembling as they touched him. "I-I…" He exhaled slowly and pulled back a little. "I've never…" His eyes opened and Jensen found himself wanting to make all of the fear he could see in them go away. 

"Shh…lets go someplace a little more private." He slid his hand into JT's and drew him through the kitchen and into the dark hallway that led to his tiny bedroom. He shut the door behind them and pulled JT in again, kissing him and turning them until they were at the bed. 

Jensen sat, drawing JT with him. He caressed over his face, smiling as JT's eyes opened and focused on him. "You…I…" He inhaled and held his breath for a second and when he let it out, he looked up. "I've never really…with a guy I mean. I…there was a girl. She…we…" He looked away. "We were supposed to get married…that was what our parents wanted. I…" His face flushed a little red. "I kind of wanted my best friend."

Jensen nodded. "It's okay, JT."

He shook his head a little, not really denying that it was okay, but Jensen got the impression he was trying to push himself past something. "Easy. I'm not going to make you do anything. We can just…sit here if you want."

He blushed a little more and licked his lips. "I…we can…the kissing. I liked that."

Jensen grinned. "Oh, I liked that too." 

"And…I…I really like you." JT said, taking one of Jensen's hands. "Wanted to kiss you that first day. Figured I'd get punched."

"Never. I watched you bend over that table and wanted to touch that fine ass of yours." Jensen said, watching the lust flare in his eyes. He leaned across to brush their lips together. "Wanted to kiss you the first time you smiled at me."

"Yeah?" JT asked breathlessly.

"Yeah." Jensen kissed him then, lips parting to suck lightly on JT's bottom lip. JT's tongue licked hesitantly at his lips and Jensen touched it with his tongue, teasing along it, encouraging him to be bolder. His hands gripped Jensen's shoulders, then eased down onto his chest. 

"I…I want…" He couldn't seem to make the words come, so Jensen sat back and started unbuttoning his shirt to make it a little easier. He tossed it to the side, watching JT's eyes travel over his bare chest. Jensen took his hand and kissed the palm before putting it on his skin, rubbing it over his nipple.

"It's okay." Jensen whispered. 

JT stared at his hand, then slid it down, under Jensen's arm, using it to pull Jensen closer. He tried to mimic the way Jensen had kissed him, his lips soft as they covered his mouth, then unexpectedly kissed down Jensen's jaw to his neck, nuzzling into him for a moment. 

"Here." Jensen shifted them around until he could lay down, hoping that it wasn't too obvious how turned on he was getting by not just the kissing, but by the innocent trust JT seemed to be giving him. "Easier." Jensen reached for him, and JT paused to pull off his t-shirt, dumping it beside the small bed before stretching out along Jensen's body. "Better." 

Their bodies were touching and Jensen unconsciously lifted his leg up over JT's, bringing him that much closer. It became swiftly obvious that Jensen wasn't the only one aroused by the whole thing. Jensen kissed down JT's long neck, rubbing a hand over his arm and down, around his hip, over his denim clad ass. JT groaned and clutched at him, at his hip.

"Shh…easy…"Jensen whispered, shifting them enough that their groins rubbed together. That earned him another groan. Jensen kissed his way up to JT's ear. "I want to taste you." JT's eyes shot open, but he didn't say anything, didn't stop him as Jensen eased him onto his back and kissed down his stomach. He let his tongue trail along the rim of JT's navel, then along the waistband of his jeans. He nuzzled his face against the hard line of his cock and looked up. 

JT was watching him, his breath tight. "May I?" Jensen reached for his belt buckle, watching JT nod haphazardly. He opened his jeans, peeling back the sides of his zipper. JT was fisting the blanket under him and Jensen hadn't even gotten to flesh. 

His cock was hard and huge and trapped inside his boxers and when Jensen worked it loose, he was already leaking. He glanced up and JT's face was tight, his lower lip caught in his teeth. Jensen licked across the tip and JT gasped, his eyes opening wide and his hand reaching for Jensen. He caught Jensen's wrist and held it, even as Jensen opened his mouth and sucked the tip of his cock into his mouth. 

"Oh…Oh…" JT's body tightened up and Jensen had to kneel up with one knee between JT's legs and the other foot on the floor to get the right angle to take him in deep. He closed one hand around the base of his cock where his mouth couldn't reach and worked quickly up and down, trying not to grin and break his rhythm when JT's mouth fell open and wordless sounds came out of him, his whole face showing his pending orgasm.

Jensen swallowed around him, holding him in as deep as he could and stroking him with his hand. "Fuck…I…fuck…" The first of it hit the back of his throat and Jensen pulled up to keep from choking. He came hard and heavy, spilling over Jensen's tongue, and onto his chest and over his hand, his whole body tight and arched up off the bed. Jensen held onto him as he came back down, his hand sliding off his cock and onto his stomach while JT panted and squeezed his eyes shut. 

Jensen reached behind him for the towel draped over the end of the bed, wiping his hand and chest and grinning down at JT. "Wow." He wiped up the come on JT's stomach and tossed the towel aside. "You always that…productive?"

JT's face was red and he seemed suddenly shy. "I-it's been a while."

Jensen leaned over him, one hand on either side of his shoulders. "Shouldn't let it build up like that…you could put an eye out." He kissed him softly then eased down beside him. JT was quiet and Jensen put a hand on his chest, feeling the thumping of his heart. "You okay?"

JT nodded. "I…" His hand rubbed over his face and he rolled onto his side. "Not how I was expecting my day to go." His voice was soft, his hand on Jensen's chest. It slid down, cupping Jensen's cock through his jeans. "I mean…my first birth…" He pressed his lips to Jensen's. "My first horse back ride." He kissed Jensen's chin. "My first kiss…with someone I wanted to be kissing." He licked his lips, his eyes meeting Jensen's. "My first blow job. It's…been a big day."

Jensen kissed the end of his nose, then between his eyes. "You must be exhausted."

"Strangely, I find myself wondering what comes next." His hand pressed inward and Jensen inhaled. 

"Wouldn't want you to over do it, you know?"

His eyes sparkled as he massaged over Jensen's cock and Jensen couldn't help to moan of need that escaped him. "You don't have to." Jensen murmured as JT's hand worked his zipper open. 

"Maybe I want to." JT responded. His kiss was fierce and needy. "Maybe I want it all." His hand circled around Jensen's cock and tugged lightly. "You know?"

Jensen shook his head, fairly certain he didn't know anything other than how fast he was going to come if JT kept that up. "What are you saying?"

JT pulled his hand away and stood up. He looked Jensen in the eye and dropped his jeans to the floor, kicking off his boots and stepping free of them. He inhaled and came back to the bed, his naked body sliding against Jensen's. His hand moved back to Jensen's cock, pushing at his jeans. "I want…" He looked at Jensen like he expected Jensen to understand and give him what he wanted.

Jensen pulled him in, kissing him deeply. "Are you sure?"

"No…yes….just…please?"

Jensen grabbed his hand, pulled it away from his cock. "Just…gimme a sec, okay?" He reached around JT to the drawer of his nightstand, pulling out a small tub of Vaseline. "Just…fuck, JT…lay down." Jensen opened the Vaseline and scooped some out, smearing it over his aching cock and using two fingers to squeeze the base to hold himself off a little. 

JT moved so he was on his stomach and Jensen straddled over his legs. "Okay…bend this knee." He guided JT's leg up under him, opening him up a little naturally. "Okay…my finger…first."

JT tensed as Jensen touched him, then relaxed as he used one hand to caress over his naked skin and the other petted lightly over his hole, covering it with   
Vaseline. He tensed again when Jensen pushed in with a finger, his back arching. Jensen waited until he relaxed again, then stroked in lightly before pulling out and pushing back inside. 

He worked in a second finger, making JT gasp, but he opened up enough Jensen could reach his prostate which also made him gasp, only with a different tone. Jensen grinned to himself and worked him open more. "You okay?"

JT nodded, lifting his head. His eyes were dark and his lower lips was red from biting. Jensen worked in a third finger, then eased back. He was not going to last long, and he wanted to apologize because a first time should be something to remember not something that's over three strokes in.

"Okay, ready?" 

JT's mouth fell open as Jensen penetrated his ass, sliding in on the greasy jelly. He only let himself go part way in, stopping and holding himself there while JT adjusted. When JT nodded again, Jensen slid back out and pushed in again, going deeper. JT tightened up around him and Jensen almost came from the pressure, but he pulled back and JT eased up and Jensen adjusted his position. 

It wasn't going to help him hold out for long, but it gave him a better angle on JT's prostate and JT shuddered under him when he hit it. He held onto JT's hips and tried to work a shallow rhythm, but even that was sending him hurtling into orgasm, and it came too fast for him to pull out completely before he came, ending up with come inside JT and all over his ass. "Shit. Sorry. Just…hold still." 

Jensen grabbed the towel and wiped his ass, then his own dick. He lay down, sliding around JT and spooning up to him as JT turned onto his side so that they'd both fit on the bed. "You okay?" Jensen whispered.

JT's eyes were closed, his hands cradling his dick. He nodded, yawning. "I'm…good." He was half way to sleep, Jensen could tell, the warmth of shared body heat settling over both of them. Jensen closed his eyes and let it lull him.

This wasn't how he'd planned his day either, but given the choice, Jensen would take a hot young man in his bed over fixing fences any day of the week.

 

Jensen had JT riding fairly well inside a week, well enough in fact to take him out on a tour of their property, circling them down to the swimming hole in the late afternoon. 

"It's not exactly a lake or what have you." Jensen said as they approached. "It's sort of the place where three of the properties meet and the creak runs through." The land dipped enough to let water accumulate and over the years people had put in trees and grass enough to make it a shady little grove in the middle of nowhere. "That side runs west into Dobbs place…and that way is Kane's. We actually met right here, Chris and me."

Jensen dismounted his horse and tied the reins to the hitching post before reaching for Desi as JT dismounted. "I was…eight I think? I hated it here. Was a city boy through and through."

"Still are from where I'm sitting." Jensen looked up, surprised to see Chris sitting on his favorite horse. His eyes skipped to his legs, then up to his face. Beside him a blond man sat astride a palomino.

"It's about damn time." Jensen said. "I been out to your place three times since I got back."

Chris shrugged like it was nothing. "Been busy." He glanced at the man beside him. "This is Steve. Steve, that lazy bastard I was telling you about, Jensen."

"Hey, Mr. Kane." JT said as he stopped beside Jensen. 

"I told you Boy, it's Chris. Mr. Kane was my daddy. What are you doing hanging around with this loser?"

JT grinned. "He's teaching me how to ride." 

Chris raised an eyebrow as he looked from JT to Jensen. "Oh, is he now?"

"In exchange, JT's helping me install some solar panels so I can drag Pop out of the wild west and into the 1940s."

Chris snorted and glanced aside at Steve. "We should head back."

"We should stay." Steve countered. "You're the one who wanted to come out here and work on your legs."

"Obviously that was when I didn't expect anyone else to be here." Chris countered.

"Don't leave on our account." Jensen said. "We don't have to stay."

"JT's seen you in your chair, Christian." Steve said as he dismounted. "He's seen me lift you out of it and carry you upstairs. If Jensen is the friend you keep telling me he is, I'm sure he can handle it."

He moved to Chris' side and started unstrapping his legs. "Steve." Chris probably meant to sound angry and instead sounded a little scared.

"Chris." Steve responded, moving to the other side to unstrap that leg too. "Come on now, it'll be good for you. Besides, getting you back up on Hector will be easier if we've got someone here to help." Steve snapped his fingers at Chris and held up his arms. "Come on."

Chris rolled his eyes and Jensen figured it would be easier if he and JT weren't watching. "Let's get wet." He tapped JT's shoulder and they headed toward the water, stripping down to underwear as they went. He did his best not to watch as Steve carried Chris to a spot near the water and helped him take off his boots and jeans. 

A few minutes later, Chris was in the water and moving around independently of Steve. "Remember, you're here to make your legs stronger, not just pull yourself around with your arms." Steve said. 

Chris made a face at him. "He's a fucking nazi." Chris said to Jensen. 

"He's good for you." Jensen countered, catching the way they looked at each other. "And nazi or no, you like him."

"Do not." Chris splashed him and Jensen laughed, ducking behind JT. 

"Holy shit, it's about damn time you found someone who could put up with your bellyaching." Jensen said. 

"You're one to talk. Ever convince your mother not to set you up with every single society girl in Dallas?"

"Nope, I just came back here to avoid her…and them." Jensen grinned, reaching for JT and pulling him closer. "And look what I found when I did."

Chris swam in close, his hands grabbing onto Jensen's shoulders. "You let this bozo seduce you, Kid?"

"Are you kidding? JT did all the work." Jensen said, kissing a stunned JT quickly. 

"You work fast." Chris' face tightened up and his hands gripped Jensen tighter. "Shit."

"Hey, you okay?"

Chris shook his head. "Steve. Spasm."

Steve was there instantly, supporting Chris and guiding him back to shallower waters. They lay together with Steve obviously rubbing at Chris' back for a few minutes. Then Steve helped him to sit and moved around in front, working first his left leg, then the right, bending and stretching them. Jensen moved up to sit near him. 

"The muscle around the damaged part of his back tightens up and we need to get it to loosen up." Steve said as Chris grimaced. "Hurts like hell."

"Shit, Steve. I am not riding back with my face bouncing off Hector's flank." Chris grabbed at Steve's shoulder and pulled himself up. 

"You don't want to over do it either." Steve countered. He lifted Chris' leg out of the water and pressed it up toward him. "Tell me when."

"There. Stop." Chris gritted his teeth and closed his eyes, then nodded. "Yeah, that's it. Enough." They eased his leg back down and Steve stood up. 

"Okay, let's get you out of the water then."

He bent over and Chris put an arm around his neck. Steve lifted him and set him down again on dry land before going to their horses for towels. "We'll get you home and back on the muscle relaxants for another few days."

"You know I hate those."

"Yes, but you hate the spasms more." 

Jensen couldn't help but smile listening to them. "Y'all sound like an old married couple." He pulled on his jeans and looked for his boots. "How long you been together?"

Steve looked up at him as he helped Chris dress. "I was assigned to his case when he got back on US soil…that was what…two years ago?" He left Chris putting on his shirt and started pulling on his own clothes. "I was impressed with his dedication to a goal, despite everything the doctors were telling him. The day I saw him pull his own ass out of his chair and stand on his own two feet, I decided it was a goal I believed in too."

Chris looked up at Steve and shook his head. "If we're on old married couple, he's the sappy old woman. Seriously dude, do you hear yourself?"

Steve laughed and nodded. "Yeah, okay, I'm the old woman. That makes you the old man. You ready to try getting up on Hector, old man?"

Chris nodded and lifted his arm. "JT, you mind getting Hector?" Steve asked as he lifted Chris. JT untied the horse and brought him closer. Steve circled around so that he was slightly uphill from the horse, then set Chris' feet on the ground. Chris grabbed the saddle horn and nodded and Steve straightened up. "Okay, now if one of you could get on the other side, to help me get his leg over…" Jensen moved to stand on Hector's other side. "Ready?" Chris nodded. "One, two, three…" Steve lifted and Chris pulled, one hand on the horn, the other on the back of the saddle. His face reddened as he gained enough height to lay on the saddle, then Steve was shifting position, lifting Chris' leg and still supporting his ass. 

Jensen reached for the leg, watching Chris make angry faces as he fought his way up. Finally, with enough of his leg over the horse, Chris pushed himself upright, settling into the saddle. Jensen put his foot into the stirrup, and smiled up at his friend. 

"So, does this mean the next time I come out to your place you'll actually see me?" Jensen asked as Steve strapped his legs in.

"Maybe. You get loverboy there to come out with you and we can get us a game of poker." Chris said. "You bring the Jack."

"Friday night." Jensen said. "After we run to Clarendon. Promised Pop a new hot water heater, and Jake's catalogues are so out of date I can't find what I want."

"Ain't even in Harmony a week, and you're running back to civilization." Chris shook his head.

Jensen snorted. "I've been here a week and a half. And I don't aim to leave anytime soon." He held out his hand to Steve. "It was good to meet you. Don't let this ass make you too crazy. I'll see both of you on Friday."

He watched them leave, then turned to find JT watching him. "What?"

He shook his head and bent to pull his boots on. "No, really. What?"

JT was biting his lip when he stood up. "You're good with people."

"Not really." Jensen pulled his shirt on, but before he could start buttoning it, JT's hand was on his chest.

"Yes, you are. You really care about him."

"Chris?" Jensen was trying to follow him, but was completely distracted by the hand. "Yeah…he's my friend."

"So…there's nothing else?" JT was walking him backward, until his back was against a tree. 

"Like…?" Jensen looked up into JT's eyes and the flash there was hot and it went straight to his cock. "You mean…me and Chris?" He shook his head. "No. We kissed once when we were kids. It was like kissing my sister."

"You don't have a sister." JT stopped and cocked his head to the side. "That I know of anyway."

"No, no sister." Jensen reached for his hips, tugging on his belt loops. "Do I detect a bit of jealousy?" JT leaned against him, pressing his body into the tree, and kissed him. "Hmmm…I think I like this." Jensen murmured. 

"Well, I just think it's good to know what I'm getting into here." JT said, grinning down at him. "Before we go too far."

"Too far?" Jensen asked. "Haven't we already gone all the way?"

"Too far…" JT kissed his way up to Jensen's ear. "Is when I fall in love with you…and…you may be right…it may already be too late…"

They slid to the ground, hands working at pulling off clothes they'd only just gotten back into. Jensen let JT take the lead, not quite ready to confess his undying love…but at least he knew one thing. 

This right here was his reason for coming back to Harmony after all those years away…and nothing was pulling him away.


End file.
